Fruit-picker.



PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

J. B. LAWRENCE. I

FRUIT PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1903.

N0 MODEL Tess co Pwa'ro-Lrma. WASHN Patented November 10, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.'

JAMES B. LAWRENCE, OF BARBOURSVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

FRUlT-PICKER.

srneisxcnrrxoiv forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,894, datedNovember 10, 1903.

Application filed May 6, 1903. Serial No. 1551909. (No model.) I

- To all whom it may concern:

' with equal facility; and the invention consists in certain novelfeatures and combinations of parts, as hereinafter shown and described,and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which correspondingparts are de noted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is aperspective view of the device complete. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlargeddetails of portions of jaws of the picker portion of the apparatus. Fig.4 is an enlarged detached perspective view of the winding-reel. Fig. 5is a plan view, enlarged, of the mast-support ferrule. Fig. 6 is anenlarged detail of one of the joints of the brace members. Fig. 7 is atransverse section of the gathering-cylinder, enlarged. Fig. 8 is a viewillustrating a slightly-modified form of the gatheringjaws. Fig. 9 is anenlarged transverse section-on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

The improved device consists of a mast or standard 10, formed of aplurality of sections detachably coupled by sleeves or ferrules 11, sothat the mast may be disconnected for storage or transportation purposesor when its length is to be reduced or increased, as it is obvious thata mast of any desired length may be thus constructed. Generally threesections, as shown, will be sufficient, of about eight or nine feeteach, to form a mast of twenty-four or twenty-seven feet, as fruittreesrarely exceed that height; but I do not wish to'be limited to anyspecific number or length of thesections.- The lower end of the lowersection of the mast will be provided with a spur or point 12 to enterthe ground and prevent slipping, and the upper end of the upper sectionwill be provided with a pin" 13, upon which a bracket 14 is rotativelysupported, the function of which will be hereinafter explained. The mastis supported in a vertical position by spaced diagonal brace members,any desired number being employed, but generally three will besufficient, as shown. These brace members will be constructed in foldingsections, so that they may be folded together with the mast, and eachformed, preferably, of two wooden rods 15 16, hinged together, as at 17,on one side and with a slotted hasp 18 extending from one section andengaging a staple19 on the other section, the staple adapted to receivea holding pin or hook 20, as shown. By this simple means thebracesections may be firmly V united or folded together as required.

The lower endof each of the lower sections 16 of the brace members isprovided with a projecting foot 21, having an aperture to receive aholding-peg 22, the pegs having enlarged heads to prevent them frompassing entirely through the apertures. By this arrangement it will beobvious that the brace members may be staked at any desired pointsrelative to the mast.

The foot members 21' are preferably formed with forked upper endsembracing opposite sides of the brace-sections and secured thereto asbybolts or rivets, as shown.

Surrounding one of the mast-sections, preferably the central one, is asleeve 60, having spaced apertures adapted to be engaged by eyes 23,extending from the brace-sections 15,

as shown, by which means the brace members are united by hinge-likejoints to the sleeve. the mast may be supported from all sides andmaintained in a vertical position, while at the same time the mast ismovable vertically in the sleeve, so that the relative positions of thestake 22 and spur 12 may be changed to any desired extent to adapt thedevice to the condition of the ground regardless of the fact as towhether it is inclined or level, so that the mast maybe supported in avertical position upon all kinds and conditions of the ground. To thisendthe sleeve will be somewhat larger than the part of the mast which itengages to permit the necessary lateral movement of the latter whenbeing adjusted to uneven ground, as above noted.

' The mast portion is designed to support the fruit-picking portion ofthe device and will By this simple means it is obvious be erectedrelatively near the tree or contiguous to two or more of the trees fromwhich the fruit is to be gathered.

The gathering portion consists of a receiver formed with the rearcylindrical portion 24 and front semicylindrical portion 25, thecylindrical portion provided with a socket 26 to receive the handlemember 27, as shown. The handle member is formed of a plurality ofseparable sections united by ferrules 28, similar to a jointed fishpole,and may be of any desired length or of variable length, as may bedesired. It is obvious that the handle member may thus be formed in asmany sections and of any length desired, the separable sections enablingit to be folded into smaller space for transportation or storage.

The receiver 24 is provided with a strap 29, embracing its lower side atthe juncture of the portions 24 and with its ends extend-- ed andperforated, as at 30 31, to form ears to receive the ends of a curvedaxle 32, the axle supporting a fruit-severing lid or closure 33,extending over the protruding semicylindrical portion 25 of thereceiver.

The inclined edges of the semicylindrical portion 25 are folded over andprovided with spaced perforations at the folds, through which the loops34 of a wire bent to form spaced teeth 35 protrude and in which the bentWire is secured by compressing the folded sheet metal between the loopsand soldering or otherwise securing it in place, as indicated at 36 inFigs. 2 and 3. By this means aplurality of spaced teeth or fingers areprovided along the upper edges of the semicylindrical sections, asshown. The adjacent edges of the plate 33 are likewise folded over andperforated and adapted to receive the looped portions of a plurality ofspaced teeth 37, formed from a single piece of wire in the same manneras the teeth 35 are formed on the portion 25 and disposed to alternatetherewith, so that when the closure portion is operated the two sets ofteeth will interengage, as indicated.

A spring 38 will be connected between the free outer end of the member33 and the rear of the portion 24 of the receiver and exerting its forceto maintain the member 33 yieldably in its open position, as shown.

The ends of the axle member 32 are provided with small crank-arms 39,from one of which a draft-wire 41 leads to the opposite end of thehandle member 27 and terminates in a lever-arm 42, pivoted to the handlemember. By this simple means it will be obvious that the operation ofthe lever-arm 42 will cause the closure member 33 to be correspondinglyoperated, and when the lever-arm is released the spring 38 will restorethe closure to its normal open position. The draftwire 41 will bejointed, as at 43, to correspond to the ferrules 28, so that it willfold with the handle member when the device is dismembered fortransportation or storage and will be supported at suitable intervalsrelative to the handle member by guide staples or eyes 44.

Leading rearwardly from the cylindrical section 24 of the receiver is afabric chute or conductor 45 of any required length to serve as a guidefor the severed fruit and prevent abrasion or other damage thereto. Theconductor 45 will be cylindrical in cross-section and attached to theportion. 24, as by a binding-wire 46, and may be in sections united byhooks and eyes or by lacing-cords passing through eyelets in theadjacent sections; but as the construction of these fastening means isso well understood they are not further illustrated. The conductor mayterminate in any suitable receptacle, as will be obvious. By this simplearrangement the fruit may be plucked by inserting the protruding portion25 beneath it and operating the lever-arm 42, which will depress themember 33 and sever the fruit-stem between the teeth and permit it torun down the conductor 45 without damage.

Suspended from the bracket 14 is a swivelhook 47, and from this hook apulley-block 48 is supported and carrying a draft cable or cord 49. Oneend of the cord is connected at 50 to the handle member and passingthence through the pulleyblock 48 and thence through anotherpulley-block 61 upon the handle member and thence to a winding-reel 51at the rear of the latter. The reel will be provided with anoperatingcrank 52, as shown. By this simple arrangement it will beobvious that the receptacle and plucking end of the handle member 27maybe elevated to any desired degree to bring the receiver intooperative position relative to any specimen of the fruit at any part ofthe tree within the range or sweep of the handle member and its flexiblesupporting-cord. It will also be obvious that the flexible cords willpermit the handle member with its receiver attached to swing laterallyto any required extent and moved in all required directions to reach allthe fruit no matter how remote or inaccessible by ordinary means.

The construction of the reel support is shown more clearly in Fig. 4;and it consists of a base portion 53, having upturned sides 54 55,spaced apart and forming supports for the axle of the reel, and with theextended ends clamped to the handle member by clips 56 57, as shown. Bythis simple means the reel is supported at a point convenient to theoperator, who guides the handle member with one hand and operates thereel-crank with the other. By this simple arrangement all the variousmovements of the device are under the complete control of the operator.

The parts will be constructed of suitable material as light as will beconvenient with durability and strength and may be of any size or in anyproportions which the sizes of the trees will require. The uppermost ofthe ferrules 11 will be provided with a hook 58, upon which thepulley-block 48 may be sup- ITO ported when two sections only of themast portion are required, which may be desirable when using the devicefor the shorter trees.

When fruit is to be gathered on which it is desired to retain a port-ionof the stem, the modified form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 will be employed,consisting of a blade 62, arranged in the movable-jaw member 33, and acorresponding recess 63 in the lower-jaw member 25, which will thusreplace the interengaging fingers 35 and 37. By this simple means thestems may be severed at any desired distance from the fruit, which isvery desirable when the fruit is to be preserved.

This cylindrical portion 24. may be extended, as in Fig. 8, if desired,to protect the relatively fragile conductor from thorns or abrasionsfrom the limbs of the trees, as the cylinders will he metal, and byextending them as shown the fruit may be reached without bringing thefabric conductor into contact with the thorns or limbs.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. In afruit-gatherer, a supporting-frame having a substantially vertical mast,a bracketmounted for rotation upon said mast, a fruit-gatherer having asupporting-handle, a cord-pulley movably suspended from said bracket,and a cord connected by one end to said picker-handle and leading oversaid pulley and operatively connected at the'other end to saidpicker-handle, whereby the picker may be adjusted relative to said mast,substantially as described.

2. In a fruit-gatherer, a supporting-frame having a substantiallyvertical mast, a I bracket mounted for rotation upon said mast, afruit-gatherer having a supporting-handle, a winding-drum carried at theoperative end nected at the other end to said winding-drum,

whereby the picker may be adjusted relative to said mast, substantiallyas described.

3. In afruit-gatherer,apicker member consisting of a receiver formedwith cylindrical rear portion and semicylindrical forward portion andconnected to a supporting-handle member, a cover member movablyconnected to said receiverand adapted to close over said semicylindricalportion, the edges of said semicylindrical portion folded over andprovided with spaced apertures in said folded portion, spaced teethformed of wire bent into spaced loops inserted through saidperforations, and means for securing said folded portions to the body ofthe receiver, substantially as described.

4. In a fruit-gatherer, a supporting-frame having a substantiallyvertical mast, a bracket mounted for rotation upon said mast, afruit-gatherer having a supporting-handle, a cord-pulley movablysuspended from said bracket, a cord-pulley connected intermediately ofsaid handle member, a cord c0nnected to said handle member relativelynear said gatherer and leading over said pulleys, and operativelyconnected to said handle member relatively near its opposite end,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

W. M. HOVEY, GARFIELD STOWASSER.

